His Best Mistake by Lucy King

Is it too much to ask for a relationship that works?

When Stella Grant realises her perfect romance is a lie and that she's the other woman, she flees to her remote cottage in the Highlands to lick her wounds.

Billionaire currency trader Jack Maclean has nothing but contempt for the woman who stole not only his sister’s fiancé but quite possibly a family heirloom to boot. Nonetheless, he wants answers and he intends to get them. A quick trip north should do the trick. Never in a million years could he have predicted a kamikaze sheep and inclement weather would leave him stranded.

Jack might be gorgeous but Stella isn’t in the market for a man, especially one who hates her. No matter how attractive he finds her Stella is the very last person Jack should want. The trouble is, they’re all alone and the chemistry is irresistible, and, well, what happens in Scotland stays in Scotland, right?

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33259027-the-duchess-deal

Title: His Best Mistake
Author: Lucy King
Series: The Maclean Family Legacy
Pages: 145
Genre(s): Contemporary, UK
Hot Buttons: Death of a spouse/baby

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I started reading this book with trepidation. I liked the sound of the premise but it was partially set in Scotland and that makes me nervous for ‘och aye the noos’ and etc. I didn’t actually realise until I started reading that the characters were English, and I’m assuming, the author is too. I relaxed…

…and started to really enjoy the read. I liked Stella from the offset. SHe’s feisty and honest, takes no nonsense and goes after what she wants - but her inner dialogue showed what she was really thinking and feeling giving us insight into her worries and fears. Real and likeable is the vibe I got from Stella.

Jack is just delicious. I don’t remember getting much detail about him but I do love the classic tall, dark and handsome. Oh and the fact that he was, at least on occasion, darkly broody - that really rings my bell.

The first sex scene in the book happens to be the only one, which was a shame because it was so well written and just a little bit scorching. A delicious little thrill for what is quite a short book (145 pages). There was chemistry between the pair during this and during the rest of the book as they got to know each other on another level. I felt it and I wanted the pair to be happy.

**Potential spoiler**: There’s obviously the issue of Jack’s first wife who died in tragic circumstances. I normally don’t like this in a novel as I don’t like the thought of our hero having a previous ‘love of his life’ before the heroine! (Unrealistic, I know - but I don’t read these books for real life to intrude!) I’m happy to say that while Jack obviously loved his first wife, there was no pining and I believed that Jack 100% wanted Stella with all his being. Sure, he was celibate since his first wife’s death but I thought this was down to a combination of guilt, apathy and a little bit of grief rather than because of a severe depth of love for his first wife. **Spoiler Ends**

I do have to admit that I laughed at the ‘location’ of Stella’s Highland cottage. They flew to Inverness and then ‘went’ to the Highlands. I can assure you that one: Inverness is in the Highlands, and two, the Highlands are a massive place full of both built up and remote areas. Turn left at Inverness for the Highlands. Made me chuckle but didn’t affect my rating of the book.

Oh and this is apparently the first in what is currently a two book series about the Maclean family. Cora, the heroine of the next book, Her Forbidden Warrior, is Jack’s sister and the ‘real’ fiancee of the man with whom Stella has been unknowingly having an affair. She pops up in this book before heading off to Spain with Jack’s private investigator friend Luke to confront Ben/Brad. In the epilogue for this book (yay for epilogues!) Jack mentions Cora and her soon to be hubby Luke. What? When? How? Hmmm - well played Ms. King, well played.

This is an enjoyable read that had a slightly hint of Mills and Boon about the story but in a mature and funny way. There were funny moments (Stella calling the baby by whatever size it was at the time ‘lime’, ‘lemon’ etc was a particular favourite), I loved the writing style and the story and characters hooked me from start to finish. As above, I’m now away to get the second book in the series. 4 stars from me.